Bruce M. Lawlor
|branch=United States Army |serviceyears=1967–2003 |rank= |rank= Major General |commands=1st Battalion 172nd Armor 86th Armored Brigade Joint Task Force-Civil Support |battles=Vietnam War Global War on Terrorism |awards=Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal |laterwork=Director of the Center for Technology, Security, and Public Policy, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University }} Major General (Retired) Bruce M. Lawlor (b. January 24, 1948) is a retired United States Army officer. He is prominent as the first commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support. In addition, he was one of five White House staff members who wrote the plan to create the Department of Homeland Security, and he was the first DHS Chief of Staff. Early life and service in Vietnam Bruce Michael LawlorVermont Adjutant General, List of Vermonters in the Vietnam War 1964-1975, 1986, page 225 was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont on January 24, 1948,Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1981, page 258 and graduated from Vermont Academy in 1966.Vermont Academy, Florence Sabin Award Winners page, accessed July 13, 2012 He briefly attended the United States Military AcademyAssociation of Graduates, Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy, 1991, page 124 before transferring to George Washington University, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1970.Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255 While attending GWU Lawlor was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency.Elizabeth Becker, Military Terrorism Operation Has a Civilian Focus, New York Times, January 9, 2000 Trained as a Vietnamese linguistMark Moyar, Phoenix and the Birds of Prey: Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorism in Vietnam, 2007, page 123, he was a member of the Phoenix ProgramWilliam P. Mahedy, Out of the Night: The Spiritual Journey of Vietnam Vets, 1988, page 18Al Santoli, Everything we had: an oral history of the Vietnam War, 1985, page 182Bright Quang, Road to the United States, Part 1, 2006, page 321 and served in South Vietnam from 1971 to 1973 as the leader of a counter-terrorism team.Walter H. Capps, The Unfinished War: Vietnam and the American Conscience, 1990, page 97Loren Baritz, Backfire: A History of How American Culture Led Us Into Vietnam and Made Us Fight the Way We Did, 1986, page 16 In 1974 Lawlor received a direct commission in the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer.Tom Jennemann, Former Homeland Security Chief to Work at Stevens: University Hires Lawlor for Security Initiatives, Hudson Reporter, November 30, 2003 Lawlor received his law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1975 and started a practice in Springfield, Vermont.Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255 Political career A Democrat, Lawlor was a legal advisor to Governor Thomas P. Salmon.Susan Smallheer, Ex-Springfield Representative on Front Lines, Rutland Herald, September 12, 2001 In 1980 Lawlor won election to the Vermont House of Representatives. He served two terms, 1981 to 1985.Legislative Directory, 1981, page 258Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255 In 1984 Lawlor won the Democratic nomination for Vermont Attorney GeneralVermont State Archives, 1984 Primary Election Results, 2006, page 2 and lost the general election to Jeffrey L. Amestoy.Vermont State Archives, General Election Results Attorney General, 1906-2010, 2010, page 11 Continued military career In 1979 Lawlor transferred his military membership to the Vermont Army National Guard. Initially assigned as the intelligence officer in an Armor battalion, Lawlor became qualified in the Armor branch and advanced through command and staff positions including: commander of the 86th Armored Brigade's 1st Battalion 172nd Armor Battalion; commander of the 86th Brigade; Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and Assistant Division Commander of the 42nd Infantry Division. In 1986 he graduated from the Command and General Staff College.National Guard Bureau, General Officer Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2001, accessed July 13, 2012 In 1996 Lawlor received a Master of Science degree in National Security Studies from Norwich University as part of the Army War College's Senior Service College Fellowship Program (SSCF).Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Newly Formed Center for Technology, Security, and Policy Names Former Chief of Staff for U.S. Department of Homeland Security as Director, Virginia Tech News, February 5, 2008 In addition, he attended the National Security Fellows Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.Kevin J. Kennedy, Bruce M. Lawlor, Arne J. Nelson, Grand Strategy for Information Age National Security, 1996, page 5 Later military career From May 1998 to October 1999 Lawlor served as Deputy Director for Operations, Readiness and Mobilization in the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans.Center for Biosecurity, Speaker's Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2000, accessed July 13, 2012 From October 1999 until October, 2001 Lawlor was commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support, the first individual assigned to this position.Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), Brig. Gen. Bruce M. Lawlor Appointed First Commanding General For Joint Task Force-Civil Support, November 1, 1999Executive Publications, Government Executive, Volume 36, 2004, page 115 In this assignment Lawlor oversaw creation of the Civil Support Team concept, an initiative that enables the National Guard to play a greater role in responding to domestic terrorism than has historically been allowed since the passage of the Posse Comitatus Act.National Domestic Preparedness Office, Joint Task Force – Civil Support and WMD Prepardness, The Beacon newsletter, December 1999, page 6 Lawlor retired from the military in November, 2003.Government Research Corp., National Journal, Volume 36, 2004, page 115 Effective dates of promotions * Ensign, Navy Reserve, 11 November 1974 * Lieutenant Junior Grade, Navy Reserve, 11 November 1976 * Lieutenant, Navy Reserve, 1 December 1978 * First Lieutenant, Army National Guard, 2 January 1979 * Captain, Army National Guard, 2 May 1981 * Major, Army National Guard, 22 October 1986 * Lieutenant Colonel, Army National Guard, 22 October 1990 * Colonel, Army National Guard, 23 October 1993 * Brigadier General, Army National Guard, 1 October 1997 * Major General, Army National Guard, 6 October 2000General Officer Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2001 Military awards and decorations General Lawlor's awards and decorations include: * Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit * Defense Meritorious Service Medal * Meritorious Service Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster) * Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) * Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters) * National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars * Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 1 Silver Hourglass Device) * Army Service Ribbon; Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross (with 1 Gold and 1 Bronze Star) * Vietnamese Honor Medal (First Class).General Officer Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2001 Continued governmental career Shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Lawlor joined the White House staff to help plan and coordinate the response as Senior Director for Protection and Prevention in the Office of Homeland Security.Elizabeth Book, Security Beat, National Defense Industrial Association, September 2002 While in this position Lawlor was one of the chief creators of the legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security.Stevens Institute of Technology, Top National Expert to Head Homeland Security Initiatives at Stevens, November 21, 2003 When DHS was officially founded in March, 2003 Lawlor was named its first Chief of Staff, serving until November, 2003.Stephanie Strom, Threats and Responses: Protective Devices; Behind Duct Tape and Sheeting, an Unlikely Proponent, New York Times, February 23, 2003Sterling Investment Partners, Sterling Investment Partners Completes Acquisition of Domestic Preparedness and Emergency Response Company, May 12, 2004 In 2003 Lawlor earned a Doctor of Science degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University.George Washington University Alumni Association, Alumni Newsmakers, Geowgr Washington University Magazine, Spring 2008, accessed July 13, 2012 Post governmental career Since leaving DHS Lawlor has continued his involvement in national security affairs through both academia and private business, including: Member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC); Chief Executive Officer of Centuria Corporation; Distinguished Service Professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology; Professor at the George Washington University; Instructor at the Army War College; and Director of the Center for Technology, Security, and Public Policy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Advisory Board Member for Patron Systems, Inc.; and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Community Research Associates, Inc.Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Faculty biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, accessed July 13, 2012Patron Systems, Inc., Patron Announces Creation of Advisory Board, January 7, 2005Business Library, Reviewer's Biography, Bruce M. Rawlor, Review of "A Time for Heroes" by Robert L. Dilenschneider, Fall, 2005 He currently resides in Arlington, Virginia.CampaignMoney.com, Rob Simmons Political Campaign Contributions from Virginia 2006 Election Cycle, accessed July 13, 2012Radaris.com, Profile for Bruce M. Lawlor, accessed July 13, 2012 References Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:People from Windham County, Vermont Category:People from Windsor County, Vermont Category:People from Arlington County, Virginia Category:George Washington University alumni Category:George Washington University Law School alumni Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Category:Norwich University alumni Category:Vermont Democrats Category:Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Category:United States Navy officers Category:United States National Guard officers Category:United States Army generals Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Category:Recipients of the Army Commendation Medal Category:Recipients of the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Category:People of the Central Intelligence Agency Category:White House staff Category:United States Department of Homeland Security officials